Legacy of Heroes

I had a hard time thinking about how to celebrate the anniversaries of both Sketch Tucker's "birth" and the creation of Pepper & Co. So I opted for something a little more epic. Seeing as at the time I've been looking a good deal into my past, I decided to dedicate a special picture to the characters that have managed to stand the test of time. I shall introduce them all, from right to left. Or, front to back. However you want to view it.

First, there is Jamal the Bombardier Bird, one of the oldest characters I still use, originating in 1995. Originating as a character from a comic strip series I made called "Animal Fair," Jamal's world was rocked when he became the feature character of his own computer game, made using a software called "Klik n' Play." From there, he gained a brother and an army of enemies that had to fend off using his tool of the trade, cherry bombs. His simple and memorable design was what made him hard to forget, and an improved version of Jamal's game is being co-created by myself and NS-Games.

Next is Pepper, who celebrates his 5th anniversary this year. He originated as a sort of representative for Malamite Ltd. when a puzzle game concept was being refined. initially drawn with a more natural animal frame, he was drastically redesigned with the odd detached style seen here, which I like to refer to as the "Peppered" style. His weapon of choice happens to be a large mallet, which appears on rare occurences. While not technically a "hero," he does seem to give his friends guidance when needed...even if it seems crazy.

Then there's Takeshi, te robot bird person, or "Tenguroid." It celebrated its 10th anniversary last year, accompanied with a new redesign. Initially made within a Pokemon fan story, Takeshi was built as a silent but swift hero. Since those days it was toubling to find a new home for Takeshi that managed to fit well. It currently is slated as a character for The Utopian Legend. Takeshi has always wielded a sword to battle, and this model wields two. However, the second blade is rather difficult to see here.

NIKO.nml is the next. She was my first female lead protagonist, and she originated from the story of ".NML," which took place within a computer. NIKO was the new recruit within a team of three in charge of removing malicious data from the system. She was somehow unique in her data structure, but it was hard to pinpoint exactly how. She occasionally uses "frag yarn," seen here, to attack malware at long range; it acted similar to a yo-yo. She and her friends had undergone a few design and story changes, but the basic idea remains mostly the same.

Next is Sketch Tucker, who is celebrating his 10th anniversary. His character originated in a short-lived strip called "Nougetville High" as a rather frustrated young student, and since then he evolved drastically to become a calm and happy-go-lucky young man with unusual powers in "The Utopian Legend." He is a "Tokaru," a Legendary creature that wields powers originating from the mind. Here he summons an attack of his own creation, the Tokaru Buster. While much of his design has since been completely altered, his blue fur has always remained, despite a change of tint.

Finally, there is Kazuya, one of the only few reptiles I have since drawn. It would not be difficult to see similarities to a Charizard, and that is precisely how he originated within a Pokemon fan story. He reappeared later on as a Dragon-Phoenix Creation in The Utopian Legend, and had undergone frequent modifications to his design and story. But he always had a degree of pacifism and never likes to fight unless there's no other option. His clumsy body and apologetic gentle behavior hide an incredible amount of power that Sketch admires and enemies fear. Kazuya is about to summon Dragon Fire, which is a tad ironic since he is using more of his Phoenix ability to summon the flames. He doesn't breathe fire, you know.

This picture took a few days to get done, as some of these characters hadn't been drawn for a very good while. I used openCanvas for the picture, and I think it serves as a somewhat decent "epic picture," showing these heroes rushing to action with their weapons and powers at the ready. What exactly they're rushing to, I'm not sure.

© 1995-2009 M-Ltd.